Russian astronauts reinstall cameras on space station, run into glitch

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Russian astronautsOlegKotovand Sergey Ryazanskiy ventured outside the International Space Station to install an HD camera.

Two Russian space station astronauts took a spacewalk Monday to complete a camera job left undone last month, but ran into new trouble.

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OlegKotovand Sergey Ryazanskiy successfully installed one of two commercially provided cameras for Earth observations, a task requiring multiple power connections outside the International Space Station. Everything checked out well with this high-definition camera, unlike the post-Christmas spacewalk where there was no data stream.

But the second, medium-resolution camera did not provide good data to ground controllers after Monday's hookup.

Ryazanskiy redid the electrical connections to no avail. He spotted no damage.

"I put everything in place as it used to be, maybe even better," Ryazanskiy radioed. "I think it's much better."

But still, the data link was flawed.

"Sergey, don't overdo it there," Russian Mission Control said, warning him not to damage the connectors.

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Russian astronauts reinstall cameras on space station, run into glitch

Could HD Cameras On Space Station Help Save Planet Earth?

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The two commercial Earth-observation cameras installed on the International Space Station Monday (Jan. 27) could help foster a greater conservation ethic across the planet, the instruments' owners say.

Vancouver-based Urthecast aims to make money using the high-definition cameras, which two Russian cosmonauts attached to the orbiting lab's exterior during a Monday spacewalk. But company officials think the project could also motivate people to take better care of the planet, by giving them an astronaut's-eye view of Earth as a small and fragile outpost of life hanging alone in the blackness of space.

"Our goal is to take a little bit of the view that people have from space and get it out over the Web in as near real-time as possible, and at the same time wrap a business around it that works," Urthecast CEO Scott Larson told SPACE.com. [See photos from Monday's spacewalk outside the International Space Station]

One of the Urthecast HD cameras which together cost about $17 million will take pictures with a resolution of 16.5 feet (5 meters), while the other will record color video that can capture details as small as 3 feet (1 m) across, Larson said. The company plans to stream about 150 videos per day in near real-time from this latter camera, each of them lasting about 90 seconds.

Urthecast aims to turn a profit in several different ways. It will sell its footage to government agencies and non-profit organizations interested in tracking such things as natural-resource use and animal migrations, for example, as well as private companies keen to keep an eye on their operations and those of the competition.

"We're getting calls from everybody large mining companies who want pictures of their mining operations every six weeks to see who's putting in roads and kind of scratching around them; oil and gas companies, to see who's putting in oil and gas rigs next to them," Larson said.

But Urthecast also aims to capitalize on an expected flood of visitors to its website.

"We think that, if we can get this stuff out online in as near real-time as we can, everybody in the world's going to want to come to the website once," Larson said. "Then of course, we need to build some value around there and add some other utility, and hopefully make it part of people's everday lives."

If that happens, the planet and its many diverse ecosystems could benefit, he added, noting that astronauts tend to say that seeing from Earth from space is a life- and perspective-changing experience.

"They all come back with a greater appreciation of our need to take care of the planet," he said. "There's an educational and environmental, a planet-stewardship, aspect to what we're doing here."

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Could HD Cameras On Space Station Help Save Planet Earth?

Richard Branson 6 Bitcoin Customers Confirmed for Virgin Galactic Space Flight – Video

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Richard Branson 6 Bitcoin Customers Confirmed for Virgin Galactic Space Flight
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Say cheese! Space station cameras now looking at us in high-def.

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After four spacewalks and a series of glitches, the International Space Station now sports a pair of cameras pointing at Earth.

The fourth spacewalk from Expedition 38, performed by Commander Oleg Kotov and Flight Engineer Sergey Ryazanskiy, wrapped up the installation of two high-definition cameras that experienced connectivity issues last month. A spacewalk on Dec. 27 tried to resolve the issue, but ongoing technical problems kept them from finishing.

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After exitingthe Pirs docking compartment, the men headed to the Zvezda service module, where they installed a high-resolution video camera and a medium resolution still camera to capture Earth imagery. The high-res camera checked out, but the medium-resolution camera again experienced telemetry issues.

Dr. Kotov and Dr. Ryazanskiy also retrieved scientific gear outside the stations Russian segment.

Their spacewalk lasted for 6 hours and 8 minutes, wrapping up at 3:08 p.m. EST yesterday (Jan. 27). The spacewalk a month before lasted two hours longer, clocking in at 8 hours and 7 minutes. Though they failed to complete the cameras' installation, they did set the record for the longest Russian spacewalk. The previous record-holders were Expedition 36 Flight Engineers Fyodor Yurchikhin and Alexander Misurkin, who conducted a 7 hour and 29 minute excursion on Aug. 16.

On Dec. 27, Kotov and Ryazanskiy installed the cameras, but then had to remove them when Russian flight controllers on the ground reported that they could not receive necessary telemetry information.

The cameras are part of a commercial agreement between a Canadian firm and the Russian Federal Space Agency. Their goal is to provide views of Earth from the ISS for Internet-based subscribers. The Canadian Broadcasting Corporation notes that the still camera has a resolution of five square meters, and the video camera has a resolution of one square meter.

The spacewalkers also retrieved a cassette container attached to Pirs, part of a materials exposure experiment. They then removed a worksite interface adapter attached to a portable data grapple fixture on the Zarya cargo module. The adapter removal work should ensure that future operations with the Canadarm2 robotic arm will not be impeded.

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Say cheese! Space station cameras now looking at us in high-def.

Red zoners apply to Govt for extension

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Residents still living in Christchurch's red zone have just three days left to leave their homes.

Those who want to stay have to apply to the Government for an extension, and if granted could be forced to pay a penalty fee to the Canterbury Earthquake Recovery Authority.

Laurie Osborne has lived in the area with his wife, Patricia, for 54 years. He says it is virtually like "camping but with a roof over [their] heads".

They have been told to take their piled-up belongings and be out by Friday.

Mr and Mrs Osborne have running water and electricity but no sewerage. Instead they've paid $11,000 for a portaloo at the end of the driveway.

Mrs Osbourne says "it's clean, tidy and convenient and better than a hole in the ground".

They are waiting for a new house to be built in Amberley, which has already delayed by three months, so they've applied to CERA for an extension. But will they get it?

"What's another 10 weeks when you have had 1150 days?"

Nearby, Iddo and Vrouwkje Bongers received a red-zone extension until the end of May. Any longer and they will have to pay a penalty fee.

The Government has already provided extensions to red zoners but their patience is running out.Mr and Mrs Osborne are waiting for one last reprieve or will be forced out.

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Red zoners apply to Govt for extension

David Ortiz’s Contract Situation Should Be Handled By Boston Red Sox Soon

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David Ortiz and the Boston Red Sox are nearing that bridge again.

The Red Sox dont need to make a decision right now regarding Ortizs contract, which expires after the 2014 season. But the slugger is seeking a multiyear deal, and the club should consider offering an extension sooner rather than later.

Ortiz said Sunday that while hed like to retire as a member of the Red Sox, its possible that he could play for another team in 2015 and beyond. Thats a pretty substantial demand for a designated hitter who will turn 39 after this season, but the Red Sox would be wise to lock up Ortiz this winter to avoid any potential distractions in 2014.

The Red Sox already are facing a difficult decision regarding Jon Lester, who, like Ortiz, is a free agent after this year. Lester could be the best pitcher available on the free-agent market next offseason, and the Red Sox certainly will need to pony up some cash to keep the lefty around, even though he indicated last week that hed accept a hometown discount. You can bet that Lesters future will continue to be a talking point for as long as he remains unsigned or until he signs elsewhere, and it certainly wont do the Red Sox any favors to have Ortizs uncertain future hanging over their heads as well.

Ortiz, who is entering the second year of a two-year contract he signed last offseason, typically is outspoken, and its part of what makes him such a fascinating athlete. Big Papi always is willing to say whats on his mind, and while thats refreshing in an age when so many athletes go by the book, it also means that his next contract could be a conversation topic for the entire season if he doesnt sign an extension this offseason. It isnt exactly the end of the world, but extending Ortiz now rather than next offseason will help keep the focus on on-field matters.

The 2013 Red Sox showed an incredible ability to avoid distractions, which was a stark contrast from 2011 and 2012, when off-the-field drama generated plenty of headlines. Ortizs impending free agency might not threaten the status quo too much, but its a side bar with the potential to do more harm than good.

Obviously, there are advantages to waiting until next offseason to re-sign Ortiz. While the 38-year-old is coming off a strong 2013 campaign that was capped by a historic World Series performance, he will be another year older and its reasonable to expect some regression at some point. The Red Sox might want to wait to see how Ortiz fares this year his 18th big league season before making a potentially sizable financial commitment. After all, Ortizs value is extremely high right now because of his 2013 performance, so waiting could save the Red Sox a few bucks.

When you get right down to it, though, a contract extension for Ortiz should be inevitable. He has become more than just a feared hitter in the middle of the Red Sox order. He is the face of the franchise, and perhaps even the face of Major League Baseball. Those factors should be trumped by on-field production at the negotiating table, but letting Ortiz walk away over a few extra dollars would have serious repercussions.

The Red Sox might need to pay more to lock up Ortiz now, even though Boston would be competing with 29 other teams next offseason for his services. Its an investment worth making, though, as it will only ensure a smoother future for all parties involved.

Have a question for Ricky Doyle? Send it to him via Twitter at @TheRickyDoyle or send it here.

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David Ortiz’s Contract Situation Should Be Handled By Boston Red Sox Soon

Interstellar Dust Particles Carry Water, Organic Compounds To Earth

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January 27, 2014

Image Caption: The surfaces of tiny interplanetary dust particles are space-weathered by the solar wind, causing amorphous rims to form on their surfaces. Hydrogen ions in the solar wind react with oxygen in the rims to form tiny water-filled vesicles (blue). This mechanism of water formation almost certainly occurs in other planetary systems with potential implications for the origin of life throughout the galaxy. Credit: John Bradley, UH SOEST/ LLNL

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Dust that originates from comets, asteroids and leftover debris from the birth of the Solar System could deliver water and organic material to the Earth and other terrestrial planets, according to a recent Proceedings of the National Academy of Science paper.

In the study, researchers from the University of Hawaii-Manoa (UHM) School of Ocean and Earth Science and Technology (SOEST), the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL), the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory and the University of California-Berkeley explain that these interplanetary dust particles (IDPs) continually rain down upon our planet and other worlds in our Solar System.

The IDPs are bombarded by solar wind, especially hydrogen ions, and these ions disturb the order of the atoms in the silicate mineral crystal. This process leaves behind oxygen, which is more readily available to react with hydrogen in order to create water molecules, the study authors explained in a statement Friday.

It is a thrilling possibility that this influx of dust has acted as a continuous rainfall of little reaction vessels containing both the water and organics needed for the eventual origin of life on Earth and possibly Mars, said study co-author and UHM SOEST Hawaii Institute of Geophysics and Planetology (HIGP) associate researcher Hope Ishii.

This mechanism of delivering both water and organics simultaneously would also work for exoplanets, worlds that orbit other stars. These raw ingredients of dust and hydrogen ions from their parent star would allow the process to happen in almost any planetary system, the university added. Implications of this work are potentially huge.

For example, airless bodies such as the Moon and asteroids, with abundant amounts of silicate minerals, are being exposed to solar wind irradiation constantly. This mechanism could generate water, and would help explain remotely sensed Moon data that detected OH and preliminary water, the researchers said. Furthermore, it might help explain what caused water ice to form in the permanently shadowed areas of the lunar surface.

Perhaps more exciting, Ishii said, interplanetary dust, especially dust from primitive asteroids and comets, has long been known to carry organic carbon species that survive entering the Earths atmosphere, and we have now demonstrated that it also carries solar-wind-generated water. So we have shown for the first time that water and organics can be delivered together.

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Interstellar Dust Particles Carry Water, Organic Compounds To Earth

News at Nine, January 27

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Arrests of Halawa corrections officers continue

A second corrections officer has been arrested at the Halawa Correctional Facility as investigations continue on Methamphetamine distribution and dealing at the prison.

According to officials, the officer has been identified as 45-year old Mark Samson Damas. He was taken into custody by FBI agents while on duty on Sunday morning. According to FBI special agent Tom Simon, Damas has been charged with one count of conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine at Halawa Corrections Facility. Damas is scheduled to be arraigned Monday in Federal Court.

Damas is the second officer to be arrested. James Kimo Sanders III was arrested two weeks ago in the prisons parking lot for similar charges.

Source: HawaiiNewsNow

UHM faculty discover new IDPs role

IDPs, interplanetary dust particles, were discovered to have the ability to deliver water and organics to the Earth and other terrestrial planets.

The discovery was made by researchers from UHMs School of Ocean and Earth Science and Technology (SOEST), Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, and the University of California-Berkeley.

It is a thrilling possibility that this influx of dust has acted as a continuous rainfall of little reaction vesselscontaining both the water and organics needed for the eventual origin of life on Earth and possibly Mars, Hope Ishii, new Associate Researcher inthe Hawaii Institute of Geophysics and Planetology (HIGP) at UH Mnoa's SOEST and co-author of the study said in a statement.

Researchers will next attempt to estimate water abundances delivered to Earth by IDPS.

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News at Nine, January 27

Review of images UFOs near the Sun in the photographs satellites NASA – January 25, 2014 – Video

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Review of images UFOs near the Sun in the photographs satellites NASA - January 25, 2014
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Application Deadline Approaches for NASA STEM Program for High School Girls

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NASA is accepting applications until noon CST Monday, Feb. 3, for its 2014 Women in STEM High School (WISH) Aerospace Scholars program, in which high school junior girls can jump-start their future careers by exploring possibilities in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM).

Applicants must be female high school juniors who are U.S. citizens, have a cumulative grade point average of 3.25 or higher and show a proficiency in STEM subjects. They must have access to the Internet and email, be able to commit to the entire 6-month duration of the project and participate in a summer experience at NASA's Johnson Space Center (JSC) in Houston.

The participants' online activities will be evaluated by a team of NASA education professionals, who will select approximately 30 students to participate in the on-site summer experience. Finalists will be notified by June 2014.

WISH participants will chart a course for human exploration of space and engage with NASA female role models. They also will interact with scientists and engineers who will share their own education and career paths and help mentor the participants. The WISH project consists of online modules beginning in February, in which students will complete activities in order to qualify for the activities Aug. 3-8 at Johnson, where they will design a mock human mission to Mars.

NASA's Office of Education sponsors WISH Aerospace Scholars and offers it free of charge to the participants. Questions about WISH may be directed to JSC-NHAS@mail.nasa.gov.

To learn more about NASA's WISH program, visit:

http://www.wish.aerospacescholars.org

For more information about NASA's education programs, visit:

http://www.nasa.gov/education

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Application Deadline Approaches for NASA STEM Program for High School Girls

NASA Request for Information (RFI) for materialsLAB Workshop: New Workshop Dates

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The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) has rescheduled the materialsLAB Workshop from the original January dates to April 15-16, 2014. The workshop is being held to advise NASA on future research directions for the microgravity materials science program. The two-day event will bring together scientists and engineers from academia, industry, and other government agencies to assist NASA in identifying key engineering drivers and research priorities for the next generation of materials science experiments to be developed for the International Space Station.

To help NASA prepare for the workshop, the Agency requests responses to its Request for Information (RFI) for the materialsLAB Workshop. The full RFI and submission instructions can be found at http://tinyurl.com/mrhxt9g. To respond to this RFI, answers to a series of specific questions must be submitted electronically using the NASA Solicitation and Proposal Integrated Review and Evaluation System (NSPIRES) website. Please refer to section "III. Response Instructions" in the RFI document for submission instructions. Note that your response to the RFI will be discussed in the break-out sessions, may be included in the final report and may be used by NASA in future announcements. The topic areas for the workshop break-out sessions include: Metals, Semiconductors, Polymers, Biomaterials, Nanomaterials, Glasses, Granular Materials, Ceramics, Organics, and Composites.

You can register for the workshop at: http://icpi.nasaprs.com/NASAmaterialsLABWorkshop2014

Please forward this email to any of your colleagues who may interested in participating in this workshop.

NASA Primary Point of Contact (POC):

Patton Downey, Technical Manager of Microgravity Materials, Marshall Space Flight Center

Email: patton.downey@nasa.gov

Phone: 256.544.6432

This is a Request for Information (RFI) only and does not constitute a commitment, implied or otherwise, that the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) will take procurement action in this matter.

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NASA Request for Information (RFI) for materialsLAB Workshop: New Workshop Dates